Author: Andres-Papazian

Azerbaijan Business Center
Nov 11 2010

Azerbaijan does not rule out occupied land demining jointly with Armenia

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The National Agency for Mine Action in Azerbaijan
(ANAMA) is ready to accomplish a task for which it was established –
to demine the country’s territory Armenia has occupied during two
countries’ Nagorno Garabagh conflict after its release.

Today in Baku ANAMA director Nazim Ismayilov stated that the Agency
had already prepared a plan of gradual mine clearance of the occupied
lands (20% of the country’s territory).

“To manage by fixed deadline, we’ll need to increase our potential 3-4 fold.

In any case, I think that the clearance of these lands will take at
least 10 years after the signing of a peace agreement,’ he added.

Clearing of mines on the occupied land is part of the Azerbaijani
government’s program `Big comeback”.

“On the experience of Jordan we should draw additional human resources
of the Armed Forces to demining work. I don’t rule out that after
signing a peace agreement demining work will be conducted in
collaboration with the Armenian side,’ Ismayilov said.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Nov 11 2010

Armenian, Russian Parliaments must simultaneously ratify military agreement

November 11, 2010 | 16:02

At a meeting with RA President Serzh Sargsyan, members of the
Armenian-Russian Commission for Parliamentary Cooperation discussed
the issue of ratifying protocols of prolonging the presence of the
Russian military base in Gyumri, Konstantin Zatulin, Director of the
Institute for CIS, told NEWS.am.

He underlined the need for simultaneous ratification of the document
by the Armenian and Russian Parliament.

`In the context of the present situation in the region, it is an
important and urgent measure,’ Zatulin said.

The document was signed during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s
visit to Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Nov 11 2010

Nagorno-Karabakh peace process in stalemate, Russian senator says

November 11, 2010 | 14:40

No special progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process should be
expected at the OSCE Summit in Astana, Dec. 1-2, Nikolay Ryzhkov, the
Russian Co-Chairman of the Armenian-Russian Parliamentary Cooperation
Commission, told journalists on Nov. 11.

No `road map’ on the Nagorno-Karabakh will be signed in Astana. In
many respects, the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process is locked in a
stalemate. `However, it is difficult to say how to break this
stalemate,’ the Russian senator said. Azerbaijan, in turn, is not idle
at all. According to Ryzhkov, a constructive solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be found. `However, I have doubts about
how the Armenian people may accept it,’ he said. He stressed a serious
situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.

Ryzhkov reported that at its meeting in Yaroslavl, Russia, the
Armenian-Russian Parliamentary Cooperation Commission will discuss the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem as well. `Of course, we are concerned over
the issue and we have decided to address it though we are aware we
cannot contribute to the settlement, as the OSCE Minsk Group is
dealing with the problem. We agreed to listen to reports on the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process by the Armenian and Russian foreign
offices. We will issue a statement as well,’ Ryzhkov said.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Nov 11 2010

Azerbaijani are losing sense of humor, Zatulin says

November 11, 2010 | 14:24

It has recently become popular in Azerbaijan to treat each Armenia’s
friend as an enemy, Konstantin Zatulin, Vice-Chairman of the Committee
for CIS and ties with Russian Nationals, RF State Duma, Director of
the CIS Institute, told NEWS.am.

`I was declared persona non grata in Azerbaijan, although I did not
plan to visit the country as have no intension to impose myself. I go
only to that place where I was invited. However, Azerbaijan’s moves
are artificial and demonstrative. I draw a conclusion that certain
people who I respect in Azerbaijan are losing sense of humor. It is a
very bad sign,’ he said.

From: A. Papazian

Santa Monica Daily Press, CA
Nov 11 2010

City Council approves taxi franchises

Move drastically reduces number of cabs on Santa Monica streets

By Kevin Herrera
November 11, 2010

CITY HALL – In a move that will dramatically reduce the number of cabs
on Santa Monica streets, the City Council Tuesday awarded five taxi
franchises and put a cap on the total number of cabs operating within
the city at 250.

The council also unanimously approved a fare structure with maximums
set for trips to regional airports. Cab companies will still be able
to offer discounts or special deals, something which Mayor Bobby
Shriver lobbied hard for and was accepted by his colleagues as a way
for cab companies to differentiate themselves and compete in the new,
closed market.

Those who received a franchise are: Bell Cab Co., Independent Taxi,
Metro Cab Co., Taxi Taxi and Yellow Cab Co. Metro and Taxi Taxi are
based in Santa Monica.

Cab operators were selected by a City Hall committee with preference
given to those companies that had the financial capability, business
plan and experience to provide quality service, said Don Patterson,
who oversaw the selection process for City Hall.

The new franchise structure, which must be finalized by a second
reading by the council, is expected to take effect Jan. 3, 2011 with
cab companies given six months to meet requirements to operate a
certain number of ultra-low and super-ultra-low emission vehicles.

Cab companies not awarded a franchise will no longer be able to pick
up passengers in Santa Monica after that date.

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“We are pleased our successful business model has been approved by the
city,” said Ayman Radwan of Taxi Taxi. “We are extremely happy that we
will be able to continue serving our community.”

The proposal for a franchise structure came after the Task Force on
the Environment in 2006 recommended the development of an ordinance
that creates a franchise system awarding licenses to companies whose
cars meet certain emission and mileage standards. A study by
Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates followed two years later, finding
that at the time, there were 412 cars operated by 55 companies in the
city.

That number grew to 522 permitted cabs, all for a city that has about
91,000 residents.

City officials felt the number of cabs was too high, creating gridlock
Downtown while contributing to global warming. They were also
concerned that drivers were not able to make a living wage because of
too much competition. Some drivers were said to be making only $24,000
annually for working six days a week.

Dozens of cab company operators and drivers fearful of losing their
jobs crammed into the City Council Chambers Tuesday, pleading with
elected officials to start the franchise selection process over,
alleging it was flawed and lacked transparency.

Groups representing Armenian-Americans said the process discriminated
against cab companies owned by Armenians. Others called on the council
to give more weight to local companies as opposed to those based in
Los Angeles with multiple franchise licenses, increasing the
likelihood that drivers from these companies will spend more time
outside Santa Monica, leaving residents and visitors without enough
cabs to get them around town. Many operators pleaded with the council
to allow more cab companies to operate within Santa Monica. As part of
the agreement, cab companies are required to have 50 cabs in service
at all times.

“We’re still in shock,” Vrej Alvandian, president of Beverly Hills Cab
Co. said following the council’s vote. “We thought the council was
going to throw out the staff’s recommendation and start over. … I
can’t believe it.”

While the council did not want to increase the number of franchises
awarded, it did increase the total number of cabs allowed to operate
in the city.

Initially city staff proposed a cap on cabs of 250, with each of the
five franchises operating 50. However, after considerable debate the
council directed city staff to come back in the next few weeks with a
new cap of 300, awarding each of the five franchises 10 more cabs for
a total of 60 each, but city officials said the extra cabs would be
optional.

That was in large part a response to Taxi Taxi’s plea to be allowed to
operate more than 50 cabs given that it currently has a fleet of over
60 and would therefore have to layoff drivers. While Taxi Taxi
currently has more cabs than will be allowed, the other four who won
franchises will have to bring up the number of cabs they operate to
comply with the new rules.

“I don’t think it’s fair to downsize a company that’s been working so
hard to grow in a sustainable way,” said Wendy Radwan of Taxi Taxi.

Councilmembers Terry O’Day and Gleam Davis agreed with Radwan.

“I applaud the desire for equity, but the price of this equity feels
too high for me,” Davis said of doling out 50 cabs for each franchise.
“It doesn’t feel like equity to me to tell one company to reduce
one-sixth of its business and tell others they get to increase their
business.”

“To be the only company to have to cut its current level out of those
recommended, and to be a local company, that gives me pause,” O’Day
said.

Councilmembers were also not pleased with city staff’s recommendation
to set the senior/disabled fare discount at 10 percent, and called on
city staff to identify other financing options to increase that
discount.

Councilman Richard Bloom said the council’s decision was difficult,
knowing that some cab drivers would be laid off and companies forced
to close. However, the need for a better system outweighed that
concern.

“It was a given, by the very nature of what we did here tonight, that
this would be disappointing to a large number of taxi operators
currently serving the public because we decided at the outset that we
had too many taxis in the city and had to reduce the fleet,” Bloom
said. “At the same time we want to build up the standard of living for
those working in this trade. There was a trade off. There are winners
in this process and there are losers.”

Bloom, who met with represenatives of the cab companies, said
complaints that the process was not fair or that there was
discrimination in selection were unfounded. He said city staff could
have provided more information during the course of the process, “but
no matter what staff would have done there would have been
controversy.

“This is a very positive step and an important one for our city.”

From: A. Papazian

news.az, Azerbaijan
Nov 11 2010

Quebec Azerbaijanis association condemns Armenian community
Thu 11 November 2010 13:19 GMT | 15:19 Local Time
Text size:

The Association of Azerbaijanis of Quebec has issued a statement.
The Association of Azerbaijanis of Quebec has issued a statement
condemning claims by the Armenian media outlets, which said Armenia`s
community of Montreal was funding a so-called reconstruction project
of Shusha.

‘According to some Armenian media sources the Armenian community of
Montreal is funding a so-called reconstruction project of Shusha town
in the occupied region of the Republic of Azerbaijan,’ the statement
says.

‘Shusha town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of
Azerbaijan was founded and had been inhabited by Azerbaijanis up until
1992 when it was captured by Armenian armed forces. Since 1992
Armenian nationalists have been trying to deface the cultural heritage
of the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including
Shusha.

This policy is aimed at eradication of Azerbaijani cultural heritage
in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.’

The Association notes: ‘The so-called reconstruction projects in
Shusha and elsewhere in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of the
Republic of Azerbaijan is indeed the desire of Armenian nationalists
who have conducted ethnic cleansing in those territories, to carry out
“cultural” genocide as well.

It would be relevant if Armenian community in Canada would contribute
to the economy of Armenia where according to the statistics of the
Gallup Agency 39 % of Armenians would like to move to another country
permanently. Regrettably, some members of the Armenian community in
Montreal opted for incursion on the territories of a sovereign nation
and are acting to deface the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan.’

‘The Azerbaijani Community of Quebec calls on the Governments of
Canada and Quebec and whole international community to condemn the
Armenia`s policy of aggression and those irresponsible members of
Armenian community in Canada,’ the statement concludes.

AzerTAj

From: A. Papazian

Indiana Daily Student, IN
Nov 11 2010

Ulterior motives for interior affairs
By Pooja Kansal | IDS

POSTED AT 05:15 PM ON Nov. 10, 2010

Once again, political agendas take reign in the realm of human rights.

Last week, Secretary of Statew Hillary Rodhq,Clinton visited Phnom
Penh, Cambodia’s capital, where she saw the Tuol Sleng prison, which
was a holding cell for more than 14,000 people who were subsequently
killed. After touring the site and seeing photographs from the
Cambodian Genocide, which exterminated 1.7 million individuals,
Clinton launched a pro-democracy, pro-atonement rhetoric.

While the point is well taken, it doesn’t seem genuine.

Just eight months ago, Clinton strongly lobbied against the House’s
resolution to label the Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Ottoman
Turks during World War I as such. Clinton originally encouraged the
formation of a commission that would investigate the happenings of the
Armenian Genocide but backtracked after realizing the political
ramifications of holding Turkey responsible.

Statistics-wise, both events have similar body counts: The Ottoman
Turks murdered approximately 1.5 million Armenians, and the Khmer
Rouge regime killed 1.7 million Cambodians. So why is there such a
difference in accountability?

According to the UN, Cambodia is the fourth least-developed country in
Asia, so in terms of trade, the U.S. has little to gain and lose from
it. Therefore, condemning its crimes does not come with consequences.
If anything, the U.S. scores brownie points in the eyes of its fellow
UN nations for being a proponent of human rights, rather than living
up to its reputation as a war-waging superpower.

On the other hand, much of the U.S.’s foreign policy initiatives are
becoming increasingly dependent on Turkey. At the United Nations
General Assembly in September, Turkey declared its intentions to be
prominent global power and head of predominantly Muslim countries.
Turkey boasted having a healthy economy and a prime geographic
location that links Asia with Europe.

The U.S. knows it is in a precarious position: If it pushes Turkey’s
buttons enough, Iran will become Turkey’s primary ally, causing the
U.S. to lose whatever influence it has over its nuclear program. And
although Incirlik Air Base is no longer integral to U.S. efforts in
Afghanistan, the U.S. has been storing B-61 thermonuclear gravity
bombs in Turkey, as well as four other NATO countries since the Cold
War.

When the House was debating whether to pass the resolution on the
Armenian Genocide last year, many who opposed it argued that it was
not a government’s duty to label such events, but rather the
historians’.

Is it now acceptable that Clinton is condemning Cambodia’s actions or
is that overstepping her job description?

I would argue that it is the duty of everyone – including government
officials – to further human rights both in the past and present.

What is unacceptable is to cherry pick when you are discussing justice
after genocide, especially when the numbers you are talking about are
in the millions.

Perhaps it is unrealistic to expect such consistency from politicians,
but it shouldn’t be. If governments agree that it is their role to
investigate and vote international genocide or alleged genocide, it is
a step forward in the area of human rights, but consistency is a must
in order for any of their resolutions to make an impact in history.

From: A. Papazian

news.az, Azerbaijan
Nov 11 2010

Turkey takes reins at Council of Europe
Thu 11 November 2010 06:01 GMT | 8:1 Local Time
Text size:

Ahmet Davutoglu Turkey is to maintain focus on unresolved conflicts
during its six-month tenure as chairman of the Council of Europe.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu formally took over as chairman of the
Council of Europe from Macedonia on Wednesday.

Asked by journalists after the handover ceremony what Turkey could do
on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Davutoglu said: “As the current
chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, we
will keep so-called ‘frozen conflicts’ in the spotlight. Of course,
the policies and work of the Council of Europe will be extended to
these conflicts.”

He expressed hope that the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict could be
resolved peacefully on the basis of mutual respect, Trend reported.

Davutoglu said that Turkey had set five priorities to make the
61-year-old Council of Europe more visible and more active, Hurriyet
Daily News reported.

“Turkey’s chairmanship will make every effort to put the Council of
Europe back on the international scene as an innovative, more flexible
and feasible organization so that it can adapt itself to the changing
political landscape,” he told the ceremony.

Among Turkey’s priorities are: continuing reforms at the council;
actively contributing to reforming the European Court of Human Rights
to reduce its burden; assisting in a report to the Committee of
Ministers next May in Istanbul that will recommend ways to fight
growing discrimination, racism and Islamophobia; empowering
independent inspection institutions and facilitating an adequate
environment for the completion of ongoing negotiations between the EU
and the council for the former’s decision to join the European
Convention on Human Rights, one of the most fundamental documents of
the Strasbourg-based council.

“We are aware this is an ambitious program for the chairmanship,’
Davutoglu said. `At a time when the Council of Europe is at a
crossroads, we did not have another option.”

Turkey last chaired the council in 1992. The passing of the torch to
Turkey occurs as another Turk, Mevlut Cavusoglu, serves as head of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, placing two prominent
Turkish politicians at the top of one of the oldest international
organizations working for European integration, Hurriyet Daily News
noted.

`The lack of harmony between the PACE and the Committee of Ministers
is no secret in Strasbourg,’ an anonymous senior Council of Europe
official told a group of Turkish journalists on Tuesday. He said two
Turks administering the institutions could help push the bodies toward
better cooperation. `But Turkey’s influence will be limited because
the problem is much more structural.’

`We are going to work together with Foreign Minister Davutoglu,’
Cavusoglu told a group of visiting journalists on Wednesday. `But I’m
more content with how both the Committee of Ministers’ and PACE’s
priorities overlap.’

Cavusoglu and Davutoglu will together attend the Steering Committee
meetings on Thursday in Antalya, where the Turkish foreign minister
will inform PACE members on Turkey’s priorities.

During Turkey’s chairmanship the most important event will take place
in Istanbul on 11 May, when the ministers of the council’s 47 member
countries will meet. Another important meeting will take place in
Izmir in April when the European court’s reform process will be
discussed in detail. Another important meeting will take place in late
November, with the participation of justice ministers from member
countries.

News.Az

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Nov 11 2010

Hayots Ashkharh: French Armenians to travel around the world

November 11, 2010 | 08:38

According to the information at Hayots Ashkharh daily, French
residents of Armenian origin 26-year-old Andranik Chekyan and
27-year-old Armen Kenpersi decided to travel around the world under
the motto `Four wheels, two heads, one dream’. They decided to travel
throughout the world on motorcycles in one year.

The young men have already visited 10 countries, including Greece,
Italy, Bosnia, Turkey, Georgia and Armenia. The friends arrived in
Armenia on November 10. They plan to go to Iran and India from
Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Nov 11 2010

Life expectancy longest in Armenia

November 11, 2010 | 09:17

The Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation conducted a complex
analysis of Russia’s socio-economic development in the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS).

The average life expectancy is 74.2 years in Armenia – the highest in
the CIS. Azerbaijan ranks 2nd, 70.8 years.

As regards the other CIS member-countries, the situation is as
follows: Kazakhstan (65.4 years), Turkmenistan (65.3 years), Russia
(67.2 years), Belarus (69.6), Ukraine (68.6), and Uzbekistan (68.2).

From: A. Papazian